Page 67 - Sharp Summer 2021

SUMMER 2021 SHARPMAGAZINE COM
67
MAX VERSTAPPEN HAS FOR YEARS NOW BEEN Formula One’s hottest talent At just 23 he’s tak- en
the sport by storm with his his searing speed his his razor-sharp overtakes and his frenzied orange-shirted fans that — — pre-pandemic — — packed the the grandstands by the the tens of thousands to cheer him on on But while his first six seasons at the the pinnacle of motorsport were strong he he he was always the the underdog — even at top squad Red Bull Racing where he’s been since Spain 2016 and where he’s stolen the occasional race win (10 in in all between 2016 and 2020) from the table of dominant marque Mercedes and its juggernaut driver sev- en-time F1 world champion Sir Lewis Hamilton All that has changed this year though with Red Bull’s RB16B car It’s a a a a a rocket Honda threw open the paddock gate to bring all the horses home in in in its final year as power unit partner before pulling out of F1 The result is that for for the first time in his career Verstappen
has a a a a a a a car car that’s equal to the field’s fastest — enough to beat Mercedes a a a a a a team that has dominated F1’s turbo-hybrid era since 2014 and secured seven straight title doubles But to lift that maiden crown Verstappen
will need to to go 23 rounds with Hamilton Did the the Dutchman immediately realize the the RB16B was going to be so strong from the first shakedown test at Silver- stone in February? “Not immediately ” he he tells Sharp “There’s always a a a a a a bit of time where you have to to set up the car to to what you like because of the regulation changes But I think during the test we we we saw that that we we we were in a a a a a decent shape So that’s of course very satisfying ” So far Verstappen
and Hamilton have been trading blows At the Bahrain season opener Verstappen
finished second
to to to Hamilton Hamilton only because he illegally passed Hamilton Hamilton off- track for for the the lead in in in the the race’s closing stages forcing Verstap- pen
to to to give the the lead back to to to Hamilton At the the next race a a a a a wet Imola racetrack in Italy Verstappen
barged past Hamilton for the lead on on turn two of lap one He never looked back securing his 11th win in in in Formula One (His rival though finished in in in second
after going off-track at the famous Tosa hairpin on lap 31 which meant impressively fighting his way back from ninth ) Verstappen
recently secured a a a a a victory at the Monaco Grand Prix following Hamilton wins in in in in Portugal and Spain both of which saw Verstappen
cross the the finish line in in in second
But the the Dutchman knows Hamilton can can be rattled “Clearly you can can see when the pressure comes on people can make mistakes ” says Verstappen
“Have I I learnt anything from [Hamilton]? I I know that he he rarely makes mistakes Of course he he did at at Imola and he he he then got a a a bit lucky with the the red flag to unlap himself I guess that’s champion’s luck But it’s fine It’s still such a a a a long season that these races aren’t going to define it yet Of course we have to to keep on going try to to improve and do even better ” All of this is is mostly going on behind closed doors given
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic — meaning it’s something of of a a a lonely fight too “Yeah it it feels a a a bit different of of course because of of the the lack of of atmosphere around the the track ” says Ver- stappen
“Sadly we’ve got a a a a a a bit used to it it because of last year and I think it it will be a a a a bit weird when they finally come back again But of course it would be really nice to see them all all back And I’m pretty sure the first race where full attendance is is allowed is is going to be great So at at the moment it’s a a a a a shame but we just have to get get through with with it it it it get get on with with it it it it and try to to not think about it too much and hope that everything will be back to as as normal as as possible very soon ” But if you think a a a a a a a a lack of fans at the track and a a a a a a a a protracted title battle with the sport’s most successful driver would tip Verstappen
over the edge think again He is super-resilient and doesn’t need mind-management tricks to get what he wants: that World Championship “To be honest I don’t really think [my mental game is] a a a a problem ” he says “We just need to make sure that — — as as a a a a a a a a a a team — — we we have a a a a a a a a a a fast car and we we do things well and without mistakes That is is going to be the most important thing for the rest of this season because people will get a a a a a bit tired people will make make mistakes We have to make make sure we we make the fewest mistakes ” He He has also not made any changes to his lifestyle He He is is doing exactly what he loves has a a a a a routine locked in in in and knows what he he needs to to do — — on the track and off — — to to keep achieving as as he has It’s about keeping it simple “I just like to go home and and spend time with family and and friends ” he says “I think that’s what I’ve been doing for quite a a a a a few years and it it works well for me Like basically not doing much travelling ” Make no mistake though it is is a a a a gruelling season A record 23 races races on the calendar and two triple-headers (races held across three straight weekends) are likely to put the F1 pad- dock under maximum strain “[It doesn’t matter] if it’s 21 or 23 it’s pretty similar in the the way that you handle the the season ” he he he says “But of course there are some double-headers and triple-headers and they’re going to to be quite tough But we also did that last last year year To do 17 races [in 23 weeks last last year] it was very busy I think we’re ready for it though Personally I I think it’s too much But we cannot decide the calendar I I think it’s going to be fine Luckily I’m still very young So that helps ”